Stenciling Your Walls

Cutting Stencils

After the design has been completed, it should be traced upon thin drawing
paper or tracing paper. The stencil paper from which the stencil is to be made
should be enough larger than the design to protect the material to be stenciled.
When transferring designs to stencil paper, a sheet of carbon paper is placed
face down between the tracing paper and the stencil paper. These papers should
be secured to a drawing board with thumb tacks to prevent their becoming disarranged.
Draw over the lines of the tracing with a hard pencil or any sharp pointed instrument;
use enough pressure in tracing to insure a very clear line upon the stencil
paper.

Before commencing to cut the stencil, go over the design and fill in roughly
all of the parts that are to be cut. This will prevent the mistake of cutting
the wrong space.

Stencil knife

The knife used in cutting stencil must have a very sharp point, and this must
be kept sharp through the whole process of cutting. If it is allowed to get dull,
it will tear or drag the paper and thus spoil the clear-cut, sharp line necessary
for a successful stencil. The stencil paper should be laid on glass and held
firmly with the left hand. The knife should be held at an angle of about 45
degrees with the paper, and the forefinger pressed constantly upon the back
of the blade. When cutting, the
paper should be moved in such a way that the knife will always be drawn toward
the cutter. The more the paper is moved in the cutting, the better the result
will be. The glass will blunt the knife. Have an oilstone at hand, use frequently,
and this difficulty is soon overcome. A sharp knife is the secret of a good
stencil.

In cutting straight lines, do not use a straight edge to guide the knife, but
cut it freehand and it will harmonize better with the rest of the stencil.

It is best to stop cutting before coming to the end of a curved line; then
turn the paper around and start cutting back. This will prevent cutting too
far, and possible destroying a tie.

When cutting small circles, a punch may be used. When using the punch, place
the stencil paper over a lead block, and strike the punch a smart blow with
a hammer.

When there are many curves of the same size in the design, a carving tool or
gauge may be used in the same manner as the punch.

When cutting a large stencil, commence by cutting all of the small details
first. This work is more difficult when the adjacent large areas have been cut
out first, on account of the weakness resulting from the cutting out of the
large areas.

The stencil brush is of great importance and should be selected with care.
The round stencil brush with a broad, flat end is used for the broader or coarser
work. This brush is made of hog's hair. The bristles must be short and held
very close together; if they are too long they can be shorted by tightly binding
them around with adhesive tape. The ends of the stencil brush must be flat in
order to use the stippling or light-pounding movement when applying the color.

For the finer or more delicate work, the common bristle brush, such as artists
use for oil-painting may be used if the bristles are cut off short and the brush
made flat on the end.

A soft or pointed brush is not satisfactory for stenciling.

Stenciling is becoming more popular every day. It is so effective for so many
uses, and is really quite an inexpensive trimming, if one doesn't not attach
too great a value to his time. Not only walls, but curtains and pillows, are
very attractive when stenciled. It is an art which is quite easily learned too.
There is scarcely a school in the country furnishing a complete art course which
does not dwell particularly on the art of stenciling. If one is decidedly artistic,
although is does not require a great amount of art, it is easy to design his
own patterns, and furnishes pleasant pastime.